Top 05 superfoods 2018 in your kitchen

The term superfood has no official scientific definition. According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, it’s a food that is rich in compounds (such as antioxidants, fiber, or fatty acids) and considered beneficial for one’s health. This could include more common foods like lemons and blueberries to the more exotic like acai berry and maca powder.

While the word superfood has been criticized as mostly a marketing term, it is helpful to identify which foods are more nutrient-dense than others. Focusing on a whole-food, plant-based diet is the most important change you can make for long-term health. Adding superfoods can enhance a stellar diet but is not a substitute for carb-heavy, sugar-laden foods.

Moringa

Moringa is a plant that has been used as a medicinal herb for centuries in many cultures and is widely cultivated in northwest India, Africa, parts of Asia, South America and the Caribbean. All parts of the plant are medicinal, but the dried leaves are the most often used part and work well in a tea or blended drink.

A complete plant protein, Moringa oleifera is a tree leaf native to Asia (often ground into a powder) that is high in antioxidants, calcium, potassium, and vitamin C. It’s also being studied and marketed for benefit claims from energy to heart health to blood sugar support and even lactation support for nursing mothers. This versatile ingredient offers a lot of application potential, and we’re already seeing it in several spaces.

The leaves are chock-full of vitamin C, calcium, potassium, and amino acids. They also pack flavonoids like quercetin, which can stabilize histamine production, and chlorogenic acid, which has been shown to have a balancing effect on blood sugar. A paper published in the journal Ecology of Food and Nutrition found Moringa leaves to contain more than seven times the vitamin C of oranges, four times the vitamin A of carrots, four times the calcium of cow’s milk, and three times the potassium of bananas. The rich amino acid, vitamin, and mineral profile of Moringa leaves makes them a great natural energy booster, despite the fact that they are caffeine-free.

Superfood trends come and go – but it looks like moringa might be the new wellness additive that’s here to stay.

Turmeric

Turmeric topped the health charts in 2017 for its anti-inflammatory properties and powerful curcumin content. This Superfood is great at removing toxins from the body and facilitates liver health. Turmeric got such a fan-following in 2017 that even Starbucks added it to its menu!

It’s astronomically high ORAC value of 127,068 isn’t the only reason this superspice should be on your list.

Turmeric is one of, if not the most, studied superfood. The reason? Curcumin – the active ingredient/compound in turmeric – has been linked to a number of health benefits.

It has been said that inflammation causes or contributes to almost every major diseases, according to Dr. Bharat Aggarwal, professor of medicine at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. he says “Wherever inflammation is a problem, curcumin may be helpful”.

Perhaps that is why studies have suggested turmeric might be beneficial for heart disease, cancer, osteoarthritis, infections, and neurodegenerative conditions such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and Multiple Sclerosis.

When supplementing – either with turmeric in your food with with curcumin supplements – here’s how to ensure you get the most absorption.

Cordyceps

Cordyceps mushroom is one of the most prized immune modulating and energy enhancing adaptogens known in Chinese herbalism. It is native to high mountain regions of the Himalayas and has been used by the people of Tibet, Nepal and China for hundreds of years.

Often compared to that of ginseng for its restorative qualities, it is revered as a “Chi” building herb with effects that “activate life energies.” Also known for revitalizing the sex glands and reproductive system, the mycelium is considered a potent aphrodisiac and top tonic for increasing one’s sex drive.

The adaptogenic medicinal mushroom contains over 50 different types of enzymes including coenzyme Q10, all of which play a vital role in enabling the body to absorb nutrients and break down fats and proteins. Omega-3, Omega-6, and Omega-9 class essential fatty acids in the cordyceps help to regulate blood pressure and strengthen the cardiovascular system. It also contains polysaccharides, proteins, peptides, polyamines, sterols, and nucleosides.

You can read more about health benefits at Cordyceps here

Cacao

The health benefits of cacao have been known for over 3000 years. As a matter of fact, cacao beverages were consumed by Mesoamerican elites in 1000 B.C. for their health benefits.
The main health benefits of cacao are derived from molecules called epicatechins, which are a type of flavanol primarily present in dark chocolate. This compound is present in much higher concentrations in dark chocolate compared to milk chocolate, hence the reputation of dark chocolate being so good for you.

Watermelon seeds

If you have kept up with the superfood trends of the past, it’s likely that you have tried chia seeds, flax seeds, or even pumpkin seeds, but watermelon? Probably not! In fact, most of us were always told to NOT eat watermelon seeds.

Just 100g of watermelon seeds contains 34g of protein — by comparison, sunflower seeds have 21g and pumpkin seeds a measly 19g. And naturally they have the standard seedy nutritional credentials when it comes to vitamin and mineral content: 100g has 130 per cent of your recommended daily amount of magnesium, 102 per cent of bone-strengthening phosphorus and 50 per cent of iron.

The protein in watermelon seeds consists of several amino acids, one of which is arginine. Some of the health benefits of arginine include regulating blood pressure and treating coronary heart disease. Several other amino acids make up the protein in watermelon seeds, including tryptophan, glutamic acid, and lysine.